Leeds comeback adds to Birmingham's woes
Independent 15/1/13
Birmingham City 1 Leeds United 2
Richard Rae
Leeds United came from behind to go through to the fourth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in the last 10 years, releasing some of the pressure that had been growing on manager Neil Warnock. With the reward of a lucrative televised tie at home against Spurs, this was a match worth winning in every respect.
Birmingham’s financial problems are well chronicled and tonight they left out Jack Butland, the highly rated young goalkeeper who is a £6 million target for Newcastle United among others, so his transfer value would not be devalued by him being Cup-tied. Leeds’ supporters, used to bad news, may have concluded that the absence of their 19-goal top-scorer Luciano Becchio presages the Argentine’s departure. Officially, he was ill.
Leeds did not begin badly, at least in comparison to their abject effort at Barnsley last Saturday, a performance that saw the travelling United fans lose most of what remained of their patience with Warnock.
Birmingham, currently just above the Championship relegation zone, were the crisper passers though, and always looked the more likely to chisel an opening. Indeed, after Wade Elliott and Marlon King had both gone close, City deservedly took the lead. King’s neat pass freed Nathan Redmond down the right, and the young midfielder’s low cross was decisively finished by Elliott coming in at the far post.
Leeds should have levelled almost immediately, but Luke Varney, having got ahead of his marker, headed El-Hadji Diouf’s cross wide from no more than six yards.
But after the break the visitors began to assert themselves. Rodolph Austin forced the Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle to block a low effort and then Leeds produced an equaliser. Sam Byram crossed, Diouf laid the ball back, and Ross McCormack side-footed home.
Paul Green, with an unchallenged header, should have put the visitors ahead soon after, though the miss did not prove costly. When Austin’s cross from the right struck the Birmingham full-back Paul Robinson on the hand, the referee awarded a penalty and Diouf chipped the spot-kick past Doyle.
Birmingham pressed for an equaliser, but Aidy White kicked a Nikola Zigic header off the line and Jamie Ashdown saved brilliantly from Peter Lovenkrands.
Birmingham City 1 Leeds United 2
Richard Rae
Leeds United came from behind to go through to the fourth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in the last 10 years, releasing some of the pressure that had been growing on manager Neil Warnock. With the reward of a lucrative televised tie at home against Spurs, this was a match worth winning in every respect.
Birmingham’s financial problems are well chronicled and tonight they left out Jack Butland, the highly rated young goalkeeper who is a £6 million target for Newcastle United among others, so his transfer value would not be devalued by him being Cup-tied. Leeds’ supporters, used to bad news, may have concluded that the absence of their 19-goal top-scorer Luciano Becchio presages the Argentine’s departure. Officially, he was ill.
Leeds did not begin badly, at least in comparison to their abject effort at Barnsley last Saturday, a performance that saw the travelling United fans lose most of what remained of their patience with Warnock.
Birmingham, currently just above the Championship relegation zone, were the crisper passers though, and always looked the more likely to chisel an opening. Indeed, after Wade Elliott and Marlon King had both gone close, City deservedly took the lead. King’s neat pass freed Nathan Redmond down the right, and the young midfielder’s low cross was decisively finished by Elliott coming in at the far post.
Leeds should have levelled almost immediately, but Luke Varney, having got ahead of his marker, headed El-Hadji Diouf’s cross wide from no more than six yards.
But after the break the visitors began to assert themselves. Rodolph Austin forced the Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle to block a low effort and then Leeds produced an equaliser. Sam Byram crossed, Diouf laid the ball back, and Ross McCormack side-footed home.
Paul Green, with an unchallenged header, should have put the visitors ahead soon after, though the miss did not prove costly. When Austin’s cross from the right struck the Birmingham full-back Paul Robinson on the hand, the referee awarded a penalty and Diouf chipped the spot-kick past Doyle.
Birmingham pressed for an equaliser, but Aidy White kicked a Nikola Zigic header off the line and Jamie Ashdown saved brilliantly from Peter Lovenkrands.